How Many Atheists Do You Personally Know

How many atheists do you personally know? I'm not counting the ones you have met through this network. I would say my number is at six. My mother, my oldest son, three people at work and just found out that my family doctor was essentially one when we discussed my Reason Rally letter to the Toronto Star. I'm not sure about my daughter so I won't count her.

I would have a problem counting the number of religious people I know starting with my wife and my youngest son - Way too many.

Not everybody is going to be an atheist and join the Atheist Nexus which currently has26656 members. So inquiring minds want to know your number. How many more more atheists are out there connected to our members who don't join these type of groups or conversely how alone are some of our members - is your number 0?

Replies to This Discussion

1 for me. Life long skeptic - recent self actualization that I am atheist and I am getting more comfortable "being out" as an atheist. Now, I expect to find others with similar views. Or at least I hope so, it would be nice to have a personal conversation.

Not a single one, they cling to fairy tales. Most of them are the type that they say they aren't religious, but really are. They're victims of their environments and will always ultimately run with the pack. But there is a survivability in this that makes perfect sense.

I'd have to say four or five. I know a few more who don't quite have the courage of their convictions to call themselves Atheist For the most part those people are hedging their bets just in case... I think the reason there are so few professed Atheist is Atheism takes a level of emotional maturity most people lack. If you think about it, children who are afraid of the dark or lonely invent an imaginary friend. Adults who are afraid of death or not having some divine entity "have their back" at times of crisis scares them. Therefore, they adopt some imaginary friend from one mythology or another. Atheists don't do that. We have the emotional maturity to face reality without needing an imaginary friend. Most people you meet just can't handle that.

It's a sad, sad situation! I personally know one agnostic and 0 atheists. I'm surrounded by so-called Christians and I just make the best of it. I can't get into a discussion with the ones I'm closest to as it makes them "uncomfortable". They have no ammunition, just blind, ignorant faith. Very frustrating.

Hard to say... My family (both sides) is non-religious, but I know many of them (such as my father) do believe in a higher power, but do not subscribe to any specific religious sect. It's not something we generally discuss, but they do know my views on the subject. I have two close friends that are Atheists, but that's about it.